Compact



ug- W, W33 H, A. RAUBER ET mm COMPACT Filed O01). l, 1932 Patented Aug. 15,1933V c f UNITEDSTATES'PATsmA coMrAoT Houston A. `Rauber and ,Benjamin T. Rauber,

`Alljmli'cation"October `1, 1932.V Serialfo." 6352136v l oFFrlcE i llyClaims. (Cl.` 132..;83)

p powder or as a cake of compressed or molded powder. The latter form of powder is.` less desirable for many reasons than the former. The loose powder has, however, the disadvantages thatpwhen the compact is opened, the powder w tends to fly about and spill, not-only losing powder but creating an unsightly. condition. Constructions to prevent this loss and spilling of powder have heretofore been ineffective or have interfered with the application or use` of the y powder. i

An object of the present invention is to provide a compact or powder container in which the loose powder-will at all times be coniined and prevented from freely spilling, while permitting f is to be taken up by a powder puff or other means.

In our invention the opening of the container is covered or closed by a foraminoua'porous or reticulated diaphragm, the openings or pores of which are sufficiently small or restricted to prevent the outliow of powder, but which may be` i enlarged `by pressure to permit the passage of.`

, powder in small quantities to the outer face of the diaphragm where it can be taken up by a puff or other powder applying `means.` The 'dia- `135 i phragm may be of any materialhaving suicient Y of the required resiliency or elasticity or of a porous resilient material such as rubber.

The various features of the invention are illustrated `in the accompanying drawing, in which- "1 45 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a compact or container embodying a preferred form of the invention.

Fig.` 2 is a sectional View of the compact taken',Y

on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

M Fig. 3 is an enlarged or magnified plan View of a portion of the compact and the diaphragm spanning an opening therein. i

In the accompanying drawing, the invention is shown as applied to a flat container 10` having 55 side walls 11 of any desired shape, a circular wall being shown by way `ont erample. The` container opens upwardly. In the example shown in the .drawing the opening extendsto the edge of the wall 11, but it will be understood that an opening of any desired size'may be used.` 6() In our invention, the opening is spanned and closed by a diaphragm 12 having openings 13 sufficiently small, when the diaphragm is in its `normal position indicated in Fig. 2, to retain the powder and prevent it from spilling out of the container even when the latter is inverted..` The diaphragm 12 maybe held in place at its periphery by any suitable means, for example, between an outer ring 14, closely fitting the wall 11 of the container and having a protecting edge ange, ,.70 i

and an inner ring 16 having a rounded flange 17 at its upper edge. Y

The peripheral area or margin 18 of the diap phragm may be held `between-the rings 14 and 16 solely by friction or compression or addition- `75 ally by a cementing material such as shellac or resin or glue. The outer ring 14 should iit the edgeY of the opening or the inner surface of theA wallll toprevent escape of the powder from the container, but is preferably removable. ,50

The diaphragm 12 may be made of anysutable material that will permit the openings 13 to vary suiciently to grip and hold the powder when in its normal position andto release a small quantity when distorted. A diaphragm of rub- 35 ber having small openings is preferred. The openings may be made mechanically either before or after vulcanization, or a porous rubber may be employed. The required porosity may `be imparted by incorporating or generating air orgases or removable fillers prior to or during vulcanization. Forexample, a porous rubber may be made by beating to a froth a latex of rubber or similar gums in which has been incorporated a small proportion of sulphur, a frothing agent 1 such as soap, an accelerator, preferably an ultraaccelerator and, if desired, iillersland colors. The froth is then spread to a thin sheet, set by drying or coagulating, and vulcanized. The thickness of i the sheet may be about `that of ordinary card-.100 board or thinner.

The size of the openings or pores may vary.`

`They may be about the size of pin holes, or smaller, or .hardly perceptible when not distorted.

vThey thenfhold any powder in them .andpre-zloo vent powder from passing through. If an area,Y

of the diaphragm, -such 'as indicated at 19 in Fig. 1, be stretched by a linger or by the rubbing of a powder puff, the openings enlarge, releasing the powder and, if pressed downwardly onto a 1'10 mass of powder, permit a small amountof the latter to flow upwardly through the diaphragm. When released, the diaphragm contracts, closing the pores and gripping any powder that may be contained therein. A small quantity of powder may be caused to pass through the diaphragm by tapping it, which simultaneously opens the pores and causes a draft through them that carries a small quantity of powder as a dust.

The container may be provided with a cover 20 and may providey space fork a powder puff 2l. A mirror 22 may be provided and other accessories as desired.

What we claim is:

1. A compact comprising a shallow powder container presenting a relatively large dispens ing area, and a diaphragm Acovering such dispensing area composed of elastic, flexible, porous material of a character normally to retain the powder, but topermit dispensing thereof, upon distortion by a wiping pressure thereagainst. f

2. A compact comprising a shallow powder container presenting a relatively large dispensa wiping pressure thereagainst.

4. A compact comprising a shallow powder container presenting a relatively large dispensing area, and a diaphragm covering such dispensing area having a substantial extent of porous rubber material of a character normally to retain the powder, but to permit dispensing thereof by a wiping pressure thereagainst.

v f HOUSTON A. RAUBER.

BENJAMIN T. RAUBER. 

